In which I give advice to those currently living as to how to consider the effects of COVID on their life expectancy (short version: yes, COVID may have had an effect; no, the CDC report provides no information on that score) and advice to the CDC to stop using period life expectancy as a metric in following population mortality trends.
Episode Links
Related blog post:
What I was referring to re “fake spike of deaths to leave”
As of this morning (6 September 2022), it’s still in the dashboard.
Supposed housecleaning to come at the CDC
August 2022: from CDC website: CDC Moving Forward
Key Takeaways
There is a strategic imperative to modernize CDC so that it consistently delivers public health information and guidance to Americans in real time – a mission recognized by the talented people who work here and by public health experts around the globe.
Throughout her tenure as director, and over the last few months in particular, Dr. Walensky has evaluated CDC operations; she listened – to voices from within CDC, to our partners and other interested parties, and to external reviewers.
The director announced a series of changes that will prioritize public health action to help equitably protect and promote the health of the American people.
The optimizations are designed to not only change how CDC operates but also its culture, orienting it toward timely action – ensuring CDC’s science reaches the public in an understandable, accessible, and implementable manner as quickly as possible.
2020-2021 Mortality Experience Posts
By Age Groups
Children — Age 1-17: Childhood Mortality Trends, 1999-2021 (provisional), Ages 1-17 Revisited: Teen Mortality Increased 30% 2019 to 2021 Under age 1 is infant mortality and requires special handling — I really don’t want to deal with this right now.
Young Adults — Age 18-39: approximately the Millennials in 2020-2021 Part 1 and Part 2, plus the podcast
Middle Agers — Age 40-59: approximately Gen X – Middle-aged Massacre (too!): Increase in Mortality for Ages 40-59 in the U.S. for 2020-2021 Mainly Driven By COVID
Young Seniors — Age 60-79: approximately Boomers – Baby Boomer Mortality Experience: Welcome to Old Age! 2020-2021 U.S. Mortality Increase for Ages 60-79 was Mostly COVID
Old Seniors — Age 80+: mainly Silent Generation (as older generations are mostly dead at this point) – Silent Generation Has Odd 2021: COVID Over 100% of 2021 Mortality Increase Compared to 2019 in the U.S. for those over age 85
Advice on the CDC 2021 Life Expectancy Report